Free cash flow remains volatile due to lumpy capital expenditures, which reached 26.3% of revenue in 2025Q3, even as the company deployed $1.5 billion toward share repurchases in 2026Q1.
| Metric | TTM | Dec'25 | Dec'24 | Dec'23 | Dec'22 | Dec'21 | Dec'20 | Dec'19 | Dec'18 | Dec'17 | Dec'16 | Dec'15 | Dec'14 | Dec'13 | Dec'12 | Dec'11 | Dec'10 | Dec'09 | Dec'08 | Dec'07 | Dec'06 | Dec'05 | Dec'04 | Dec'03 | Dec'02 | Dec'01 | Dec'00 | Dec'99 | Dec'98 |
|---|
| Cash from Operations | 1.56B | 1.56B | 1.33B | 978M | 802.5M | 598.2M | 755.7M | -206.6M | 778.4M | 474.2M | 643.6M | 382.8M | 355.3M | 425.27M | 323.63M | 250.19M | 211.53M | 99.72M | -49.2M | 48.95M | 49.39M | 43.17M | 20.78M | -8.56M | -22.26M | -38.9M | -31.11M | -23.7M | -9.6M |
| Operating CF Margin % | - | 49.05% | 46.12% | 42.02% | 41.45% | 35.49% | 50.95% | -14.26% | 47.82% | 27.49% | 40.26% | 26.12% | 27.57% | 38.07% | 35.33% | 33.67% | 35.03% | 26.96% | -17.48% | 23.2% | 30.94% | 37.24% | 28.23% | -16.05% | -73.9% | -678.66% | -1518.35% | -5925% | -9600% |
| Operating CF Growth % | 33.5% | 17.64% | 35.7% | 21.87% | 34.15% | -20.84% | 465.78% | -126.54% | 64.15% | -26.32% | 68.13% | 7.74% | -16.45% | 31.41% | 29.35% | 18.28% | 112.12% | 302.71% | -200.51% | -0.89% | 14.41% | 107.75% | 342.68% | 61.53% | 42.78% | -25.02% | -31.29% | -146.88% | - |
| Net Income | 1.29B | 1.33B | 1.2B | 984.8M | 727.3M | 475.8M | 514.8M | -104.5M | 589.2M | 417.9M | 713.7M | 651.6M | 340.1M | 174.56M | 304.44M | 217.87M | 105.92M | 19.46M | -42.79M | 19.86M | 73.97M | 65.02M | 15.45M | -9.97M | -23.65M | -37.29M | -75.61M | -33.5M | -12.8M |
| Depreciation & Amortization | 88.4M | 85.6M | 72.5M | 53.2M | 51.3M | 49.9M | 49.9M | 45.9M | 35.9M | 31M | 31.6M | 32.9M | 32.2M | 31.26M | 27.14M | 20.54M | 17.92M | 11.39M | 4.54M | 957K | 1.46M | 2.41M | 2.28M | 2.33M | 3.13M | 3.51M | -79.74K | -1.3M | 0 |
| Stock-Based Compensation | 115.9M | 147.7M | 144M | 39.1M | 106.8M | 138.5M | 163.8M | 45.4M | -26.4M | 73.5M | 12.1M | 280.3M | 190.1M | 320.79M | 30.11M | -15.71M | 113.94M | 101.02M | 28.7M | 48.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Deferred Taxes | 123.6M | 97.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 185.11M | 104.34M | 136.23M | 81.43M | 41.92M | -1.04M | -34.39M | -3.28M | -37.05M | -18.13M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other Non-Cash Items | 120.1M | 2M | -24.3M | -1.3M | 58.3M | 108.2M | -35.9M | -15.1M | 55.3M | 30.2M | 3.6M | -379.9M | -191.71M | -93.36M | 33.89M | 57.33M | 6.64M | 20.18M | -7.75M | -15.57M | 16.31M | 2.11M | 1.64M | 2.14M | 11.4M | 2.06M | 42.83M | 9.3M | 2M |
| Working Capital Changes | -172M | -106.4M | -60.2M | -97.8M | -141.2M | -174.2M | 63.1M | -178.3M | 124.4M | -78.4M | -117.4M | -202.1M | -200.5M | -112.32M | -208.19M | -111.25M | -74.81M | -51.29M | 9.04M | -4.2M | -5.3M | -8.25M | 1.42M | -3.05M | -13.14M | -7.19M | 1.74M | 1.8M | 1.2M |
| Change in Receivables | 10M | -70.9M | -400K | -58.5M | -21.7M | -41.3M | -6M | 24.4M | 121.4M | -82.7M | -21.7M | -30.5M | -35.7M | -10.03M | -23.99M | -16.16M | -23.45M | -21.96M | -2.33M | -4.03M | -8.87M | -220K | 0 | 0 | -8.27M | -196.7M | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Inventory | -81.5M | -52.6M | -46.9M | -13.6M | -13.4M | -7.5M | 10.3M | 12.9M | 9.3M | -500K | -24.5M | -6.8M | -21M | -12.39M | -5.93M | -16.05M | -9.2M | -9.06M | -2.63M | -2.34M | -1.01M | -3.46M | -385K | -1.2M | -1.87M | -4.04M | -2.12M | 0 | 0 |
| Change in Payables | 85.2M | 97.9M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 66.2M | 600K | 16.97M | -6.75M | 7.51M | -37.21M | 16.66M | -2.73M | -3.65M | 18.51M | -1.07M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Cash from Investing | 357.1M | -551.3M | 417.2M | -719.6M | -811.5M | -486.9M | -738.5M | -335.4M | -820.6M | -835.6M | 48.3M | 503.6M | 338.5M | -294.97M | -163.36M | -121.33M | -209.24M | -160.52M | -172.48M | -21.71M | -104.03M | -71.28M | -12.87M | -47.54M | 120.36M | -134.78M | 7.16M | -24.1M | -11.5M |
| Capital Expenditures | -546.4M | -520.5M | -246.5M | -230.4M | -138.8M | -120.8M | -59.3M | -83.7M | -184.4M | -86.3M | -43.2M | -49.79M | -47.44M | -31.91M | -111.91M | -35.98M | -18.64M | -95.4M | -124.42M | -38.66M | -15.63M | -6.12M | -5.22M | -7M | -3.58M | -687.29K | -639.88K | -2.3M | -1M |
| CapEx % of Revenue | 17.24% | 16.35% | 8.57% | 9.9% | 7.17% | 7.17% | 4% | 5.78% | 11.33% | 5% | 2.7% | 3.4% | 3.68% | 2.86% | 12.22% | 4.84% | 3.09% | 25.79% | 44.2% | 18.33% | 9.79% | 5.28% | 7.09% | 13.13% | 11.89% | 11.99% | 31.22% | 575% | 1000% |
| Acquisitions | 0 | 0 | -30.5M | -89.2M | -1.5M | 0 | 0 | -20.5M | -129.1M | -60.3M | -43.3M | 0 | 0 | -30.77M | 0 | -3.55M | 0 | -3.57M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -8.13M | 0 | 0 |
| Investments | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Other Investing | 1.85B | 1.85B | -28.5M | -23M | 3.5M | 0 | 2.4M | 0 | -46M | 8.3M | 0 | 350M | 0 | 30.77M | 0 | 0 | 13.9M | -2.1M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -179K | 4.18M | -5.41M | 40K | -3.87M | -100K | 0 |
| Cash from Financing | -2.54B | -1.15B | -1.25B | -11.9M | 75.4M | 44.8M | -16.9M | 611.2M | 6.3M | 43.3M | -497.7M | -447M | -576.6M | -5.12M | -169.14M | -218.08M | 146.76M | 36.48M | 213M | 20.88M | 74.13M | 14.17M | 6.32M | 2.01M | 185K | -2.88M | 206.61M | 59.3M | 22.9M |
| Debt Issued (Net) | -200M | -300M | -400M | -100M | 0 | 0 | -50M | 600M | 0 | 250M | -8.8M | -133.2M | -177.8M | -1.32M | -999K | -8.57M | 38.56M | 0 | -23K | -10K | 242.01M | -795K | -774K | -2.08M | -60K | -80K | -58.52K | 1.1M | 0 |
| Equity Issued (Net) | -2.24B | -816.9M | -1.01B | -13.8M | -11.4M | -10.8M | -3.7M | -2.1M | 0 | -250M | -500M | -394.5M | -483.1M | -42.44M | -188M | -212M | 0 | 0 | 150M | -67.06M | -178.64M | 14.96M | 7.09M | 4.08M | 245K | -2.8M | 206.51M | 58.4M | 22.9M |
| Dividends Paid | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -29.6M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Share Repurchases | -2.5B | -1B | -1.01B | -13.8M | -11.4M | -10.8M | -3.7M | -2.1M | 0 | -250M | -500M | -394.5M | -483.1M | -42.44M | -188M | -212M | 0 | 0 | 0 | -67.06M | -193.09M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.8M | -4.07M | 0 | 0 |
| Other Financing | -97.6M | -33.1M | 157.4M | 101.9M | 86.8M | 55.6M | 36.8M | 13.3M | 6.3M | 43.3M | 11.1M | 80.7M | 84.3M | 38.64M | 19.86M | -5.04M | 108.2M | 36.48M | 63.05M | 58.34M | 10.76M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 159.42K | -200K | 0 |
| Net Change in Cash | -825.7M | -140.1M | 489.5M | 246.5M | 66.4M | 156.1M | 300K | 69.2M | -35.9M | -317.9M | 191.2M | 434.1M | 113.44M | 124.86M | -8.65M | -89.49M | 151.81M | -29.1M | -9.87M | 48.26M | 21.89M | -13.41M | 14.22M | -54.09M | 98.28M | -176.56M | 182.66M | 11.5M | 22.9M |
| Free Cash Flow | 1.02B | 1.04B | 1.08B | 747.6M | 663.7M | 477.4M | 696.4M | -290.3M | 594M | 387.9M | 600.4M | 333.01M | 307.86M | 393.36M | 211.72M | 214.22M | 192.89M | 2.22M | -173.59M | 10.43M | 36.15M | 37.58M | 15.56M | -15.57M | -25.84M | -39.59M | -31.75M | -26M | -10.6M |
| FCF Margin % | 32.08% | 32.7% | 37.55% | 32.12% | 34.28% | 28.32% | 46.95% | -20.04% | 36.49% | 22.48% | 37.55% | 22.72% | 23.89% | 35.22% | 23.11% | 28.82% | 31.94% | 0.6% | -61.67% | 4.94% | 22.65% | 32.42% | 21.15% | -29.18% | -85.79% | -690.65% | -1549.57% | -6500% | -10600% |
| FCF Growth % | -9.9% | -3.69% | 44.54% | 12.64% | 39.02% | -31.45% | 339.89% | -148.87% | 53.13% | -35.39% | 80.3% | 8.17% | -21.73% | 85.79% | -1.16% | 11.06% | 8573.2% | 101.28% | -1765.1% | -71.16% | -3.81% | 141.52% | 199.97% | 39.76% | 34.73% | -24.66% | -22.13% | -145.28% | - |
| FCF per Share | 21.54 | 21.73 | 22.28 | 15.04 | 13.68 | 10.09 | 15.61 | -6.63 | 13.50 | 8.64 | 12.83 | 6.50 | 5.68 | 7.39 | 3.97 | 3.61 | 3.24 | 0.04 | -3.79 | 0.23 | 0.75 | 0.75 | 0.33 | -0.37 | -0.63 | -0.98 | -0.83 | -0.97 | -0.64 |
| FCF Conversion (FCF/Net Income) | 0.79x | 1.17x | 1.11x | 0.99x | 1.10x | 1.26x | 1.47x | 1.98x | 1.32x | 1.13x | 0.90x | 0.59x | 1.04x | 2.44x | 1.06x | 1.15x | 2.00x | 5.12x | 1.15x | 2.46x | 0.67x | 0.66x | 1.34x | 0.86x | 0.94x | 1.04x | 0.41x | 0.71x | 0.75x |
| Interest Paid | 8.1M | 13.5M | 40.2M | 56M | 29.1M | 16.2M | 20.7M | 41M | 9.4M | 7.5M | 1.5M | 1M | 5.5M | 5.52M | 5.3M | 4.1M | 1.82M | 1.25M | 1.25M | 1.21M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Taxes Paid | 312.8M | 313.3M | 400.6M | 332.5M | 275.7M | 153.3M | 92.8M | 120.2M | 102.7M | 346.9M | 362.4M | 293.3M | 195.6M | 142.14M | 101.5M | 46.51M | 22.68M | 23.93M | 1.63M | 1.55M | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Treprostinil franchise concentration risk
According to reported financial data, UTHR's operating cash flow to net income ratio has fluctuated significantly, ranging from a low of 0.62 in 2025Q2 to a high of 1.69 in 2026Q1, suggesting that earnings quality is heavily influenced by timing differences in working capital.
The wide variance in the OCF/NI ratio indicates that reported net income may not always reflect the underlying cash-generating capacity of the business. Investors should monitor whether these swings are driven by temporary channel inventory adjustments or more persistent shifts in the timing of specialty pharmacy collections.
As reported in quarterly filings, UTHR's free cash flow margins have exhibited extreme volatility, swinging from 11.7% in 2023Q4 to a peak of 49.9% in 2024Q1, which highlights the sensitivity of cash generation to the company's aggressive and lumpy capital expenditure cycles.
The inconsistency in FCF margins suggests that the company's cash flow profile is currently dictated more by the timing of infrastructure investments than by steady-state operational performance. This trend warrants further investigation into whether the current level of capital intensity is sustainable without impacting the company's ability to fund its long-dated R&D pipeline.
Based on the provided financial statements, UTHR's capital expenditure as a percentage of revenue reached a high of 26.3% in 2025Q3, reflecting a significant commitment to manufacturing infrastructure that appears to prioritize long-term organ bio-printing capabilities over immediate cash preservation.
The elevated capital intensity suggests that management is aggressively building out the physical footprint required for its 'moonshot' projects. Analysts should consider whether this heavy investment phase will eventually yield a competitive moat or if it represents a permanent increase in the company's maintenance capex requirements.
As evidenced by the quarterly cash flow statements, working capital changes have been highly erratic, with a $203.0M outflow in 2025Q2 followed by a $162.5M inflow in 2025Q3, indicating that operational cash flow is frequently distorted by large, non-linear movements in accounts receivable and inventory.
These dramatic shifts in working capital suggest that the company's cash flow is susceptible to the timing of large shipments or changes in specialty pharmacy payment terms. Investors should monitor these fluctuations closely to determine if they represent structural changes in the business model or merely transient accounting noise.
Based on reported figures, UTHR has utilized significant portions of its cash reserves for share repurchases, including a $1.5 billion buyback in 2026Q1, which appears to be a primary mechanism for returning capital to shareholders despite the ongoing, high-cost R&D and infrastructure investment cycle.
The decision to execute large-scale buybacks while simultaneously funding capital-intensive organ manufacturing projects suggests a high degree of confidence in the core treprostinil franchise's cash-generating durability. However, this strategy may leave the company with less flexibility should the competitive landscape for its core products deteriorate more rapidly than anticipated.
Quick answers to the most common questions about buying UTHR stock.
United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR) generated $1.56B in net cash from operating activities in 2025. This reflects the cash generated directly from core business operations.
United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR) generated $1.04B in free cash flow in 2025. Free cash flow is the cash left over after capital expenditures, which can be used to pay dividends, repurchase shares, or pay down debt.
United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR) spent $520.5M on capital expenditures in 2025. CapEx represents the cash invested in physical assets like property, plant, and equipment to maintain or grow the business.
In 2025, United Therapeutics Corporation (UTHR) spent $1.00B on share repurchases. This shows the company's commitment to returning capital to its equity investors.